A Life Once Lost is not trying to reinvent the Hardcore genre in this second full-length release, Hunter. In fact, in this follow-up album to their 2003 debut, A Great Artist, it's hard to tell if much musical development has occurred for the Philadelphia band in the last couple of years at all. Robert Meadows again tackles all the issues of society, hate and trust over the course of the eleven tracks that just break the 36 minute mark. The effect achieved in those 36 minutes is enough to make you listen one more time.
The first track, Rehashed, surges in like a rabid rhino in a CD shop, only to be restrained a tad on Needleman, before the repeated sonic explosions of Vulture, which features the lyrical destruction of Randy Blythe (vocalist) of Lamb of God. Although most of the record follows a consistent tempo, in many instances something new will rear its distorted head and smile upon you. The title track of the album for instance, Hunter, starts with a mellow but guttural guitar part. The song continues with blazing intensity coming to a crescendo with Crush and rebuild! Destroy and organize!.
The lyrical content of this album reflects on how Meadows believes people should live their lives. By defeating internal struggles and living life to its fullest and going out and hunting to survive.
The gargantuan riffs of guitarists Robert Carpenter and Douglas Sabolick resonate throughout the record with their often strategic use of un-palm muted grooves. Drummer Justin Graves brings a much more diverse rhythm to the band in this album, than in their previous material, such as A Great Artist, and is complimented perfectly with the low-end clarity of Nicholas Frasca on bass. This entire album combines intense, powerful screaming with pounding, unrelenting noise in exactly the right proportions.
All in all this is an uncompromising release with just enough melodic noise thrown into the middle of the chaotic style that A Life Once Lost has become famous for. Despite the accusation that they may sound a bit like the many other bands struggling for position in the same crossbred mix of Hardcore/Metalcore, A Life Once Lost does manage to deliver just enough originality in Hunter to keep you interested and coming back for more.